Badgers set to face one Big Ten's top tandems

State College, Pa. - Although guards Talor Battle and Stanley Pringle have added an element of quickness to the Penn State attack this season, the Nittany Lions' success against Wisconsin tonight will hinge on the play of its Big Two: Geary Claxton and Jamelle Cornley.

The two are Big Ten's third-most potent scoring tandem. Indiana's Eric Gordon and D.J. White combine for 39.9 points per game. Michigan State's Raymar Morgan and Drew Neitzel average 30.8 per contest. Claxton, a senior swingman who averages 18.7 points per game, and Cornley, a 6-5 power forward who adds 12 per contest, average 30.7.

So what makes Claxton and Conley so good?

Claxton has always had an all-around game offensively. During non-conference play, he had shown improvement as a three-point shooter but a 1 for 9 stretch to open the league season has made his growth in that area statistically less impressive.

He is averaging 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds against UW.

Cornley is averaging 13 points and 4.5 rebounds against the Badgers and provides a unique challenge because of his build - Big Ten power forwards are rarely so short and wide. He is one of the league's true warriors, battling a chronically sore knee and a thigh bruise yet averaging 37.7 minutes in Big Ten play and 29.2 overall.

"He loves contact," UW assistant Gary Close said. "He does a great job of getting angles and using his strength and getting angles to get shots off. And he's better. He's expanded his game out a little farther, he can shoot a little better, he can drive a little better."

Here are a couple of other things to watch tonight:

*Battle has posted his season high in scoring twice in the last three games and is averaging 14 points in conference play.

*The Nittany Lions have out-rebounded their last eight opponents by an average of 11.7 per game.

*Penn State has shot 50% or better in three of its last four games after shooting no better than 47% in its first 11 contests.